Abstract: In this study, a general approach to the reliability
based limit analysis of laterally loaded piles is presented. In
engineering practice the uncertainties play a very important role. The
aim of this study is to evaluate the lateral load capacity of free-head
and fixed-head long pile when plastic limit analysis is considered. In
addition to the plastic limit analysis to control the plastic behaviour
of the structure, uncertain bound on the complementary strain energy
of the residual forces is also applied. This bound has significant effect
for the load parameter. The solution to reliability-based problems is
obtained by a computer program which is governed by the reliability
index calculation.